Bicol University

College of Education
Integrated Laboratory School
High School Department
Legazpi City, Albay

HEALTH 9
Quarter 2 – Lesson 2
Unintentional Injury Prevention, Safety and First Aid
Survey of the Scene and the Victims

Prepared by:

Emily D. Docot
Donato L. Milay Jr.

Adapted from:
Health 9 Learner’s Manual-Community
and Environmental Health, DepEd
Lesson 2 – Survey of the Scene and the Victims

Objectives:

• Demonstrate properly the procedures in assessing

emergency situations
• Demonstrate properly the procedures in doing primary and
secondary

What To Know

Study carefully Figure 1. It shows the procedure in

assessing emergency situations.

Figure 1. Steps in Assessing Emergency Situations

( Source: The Health Curriculum in Philippine Basic Education, Vol 2.

Activity 8 – Express your Queries

Do you understand the flow chart? If yes, congratulations!

You have an in depth background knowledge and skills in first
aid. If you don’t, then list down on the table below all the
 words and phrases that you do not understand or are
confused about.

I don’t know anything about…. I am confused about…

Here is what you need to know…

Vital signs are measures of various physiological

statistics taken in order to assess the most basic body functions.
The act of taking vital signs normally entails recording
- Body temperature
- pulse rate or heart rate,
- blood pressure,
- respiratory rate

Before, Airway, Breathing and Circulation (ABC) are

mnemonics for essential steps used by both medical professionals
and lay persons such as first aiders when dealing with a patient.

( mnemonics - a device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or

associations that assists in remembering something )
mnemonic meaning - Hanapin sa Google

In 2010, the American Heart Association is rearranged the

ABCs of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in its American Heart
Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and
Emergency Cardiovascular Care, published in Circulation: Journal of
the American Heart Association.

"For more than 40 years, CPR training has emphasized the

ABCs of CPR, which instructed people to open a victim's airway by
tilting their head back, pinching the nose and breathing into the
victim's mouth, and only then giving chest compressions," said
Michael Sayre, M.D., co-author of the guidelines and chairman of the
American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC)
Committee. "This approach was causing significant delays in starting
chest compressions, which are essential for keeping oxygen-rich
blood circulating through the body. Changing the sequence from A-
B-C to C-A-B for adults and children allows all rescuers to begin
chest compressions right away."

Remember C – A – B

The American Heart Association uses the acronym CAB –

circulation, airway, breathing – to help people remember the order to
perform CPR
2
Difference Between Signs and Symptoms

Signs are details discovered by applying your senses –

sight, touch, hearing and smell during the course of the examination.
 Example:
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Deformities

Symptoms are sensations that the victim feels or

experiences and may be able to describe.

Example:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heat
- Impaired sensations

There are two ways to conduct physical examination when

giving first aid:

1. Primary Survey

Primary survey of the victim is used when the victim is

unconscious and to find out and immediately treat life-threatening
conditions.

a. Check for Consciousness

1. Ask the victim: “Hey, hey, are you okay?” while carefully
shaking the victim’s shoulder.
2. When there is no response, not even mumbles or groans,
the victim is unconscious and in need of immediate medical
help.

b. Open the Airways

1. The victim’s unconsciousness maybe due to an

obstruction in his/her airway. It may also be caused by a
narrowed airway making breathing impossible.
2. Find out if there is loss of muscular control in the throat
area which allows the tongue to slip back and block the
throat.
3. Lift the chin and tilt the head of the victim (if the victim is
an adult). This way you will be able to lift the tongue from
the back of the throat, leaving the airway clear.

c. Check for Breathing

1. Put your face near the victim’s mouth and look, listen, and
feel for breathing. You should observe for:

▪ Chest movement, sound of breathing, or feel of

breath on your cheek

3
d. Check for Circulation

1. Locate pulse using your middle and index finger. Pulse

indicates blood circulation, which is essential for the heart
and brain to function.
 2. Poor blood circulation may be reflected on the pale color of
the skin. This is fatal.
3. To revive circulation, perform CPR immediately.

2. Secondary Survey

Secondary survey is used when the victim is conscious or

has revived. It aims to detect everything about the patient’s
condition.

a. History Taking

SAMPLE PAIN is the mnemonic in order to perform the

steps more easily.
S-ymptoms (the chief complaint of the patient)
A-llergy (find out if the victim is allergic to anything)
M-edication (what are the medicines s/he is currently
taking)
P-revious illness (that may be related to the problem)
L-ast meal (only for those subject for operation)
E-vents prior to what happened
P-eriod of pain (How long? What started it?)
A-rea (Where is the pain coming from?)
I-ntensity
N-ullify (What stopped it?)

b. Checking for Vital Signs

A. Pulse rate

Steps in checking the pulse:

▪ Use your fingertips in getting the pulse. Follow the

following procedure:

1. Place the finger tip over an artery where it either

crosses a bone or lies close to the skin.
2. Feel the pulsations as the pressure wave of blood causes
the vessel wall to expand – that is the pulse.

▪ The pulse rate may be taken in different points in

the body like:

1. Brachial 5. Subclavian
2. Carotid 6. Axillary
3. Wrist 7. Femoral
4. Temporal

▪ NO-NO in Getting Pulse Rate

• Never use your thumb; it has its own pulse.

• Do not palpate both the carotid arteries at the same time.

4
• Do not take the pulse when the victim is in sitting
position. Pulsations disappear as the victim is elevated to
a sitting position.
• Never put too much pressure or massage the carotid. You
may disturb the heart’s electrical conduction system.
 Figure 2. Locations of the pulses
https://www.google.com/search?q=femoral+artery+pulse&sxsrf=AOaemvJc1xvdm_pwF
dmeGrefZdaGmu9W7w:1636511189196&source=lnms&tbm=is

Normal Pulse Rate

60-70 Men
70-80 Women
80-90 Children over 7
years old
80-120 Children over 1-7
years old
110- Infants
130

B. Temperature

Guidelines in checking temperature:

▪ It is being important to monitor temperature in the case

of stroke and high fever.

▪ Body temperature is measured by using a thermometer

within the:

1. Rectum (rectal) 2. Oral (mouth) 3. Axillary (armpit)

C. Respiration

Guidelines in checking respiration:

▪ Count the number of breaths per minute.

 ▪ A whistle sound or wheeze and difficulty in breathing
may mean an asthma attack.
▪ A gurgling or snoring noise and difficulty in breathing
may mean that the tongue, mucous or something else is
stuck in the throat and does not let enough air to get
through

*Between12-20 breaths per minute are normal for adults and

older children; 40 breaths per minute are normal for babies.

D. Skin color

Guidelines in checking skin color

▪ Skin color reflects the circulation of blood and the

saturation of oxygen in the blood.
▪ The presence of mucous around the mouth, inner
eyelids, and nail beds is a sign of poor blood circulation.
▪ A healthy skin that is warm and pink because blood
flows normally in the blood vessels.

c. Head to Toe Examination

1. Head and neck

• Are there any lacerations or contusions in the area?

• Is there a presence of blood in the victim’s hair? If
yes, immediately find out where it is coming from.
• Is there any fluid in the victim’s nose, and ears? If so,
the victim has a skull fracture.

2.Eyes

• Pay close attention to the pupils.

Pupil Appearance Assessment

Dilated pupil State of shock
Very small pupils Poison or use of prohibited
drugs
Different size Head injury that requires
immediate attention
Small and bright Pupils are reactive
No reaction DEATH

3 Chest

• Check for cuts, bruises, penetrations, and other

impairments.
• If the victim feels pain while you apply pressure onto
his/ her chest, there could be a rib fracture.
6
4 Abdomen

• Does the victim’s abdomen hurt? Where is the pain

coming from?
• Is his/her abdomen tender?
 • Did you feel any lumps? If yes, get immediate medical
assistance.

5. Back

• Is there movement in the victim’s lower extremities?

• Is there sensation in these parts? If the answer is yes, do
not move the victim. Immobilize him/ her.

Top Ten things to do in case of emergency

1. Shout for HELP!

2. Survey the scene and assess the situation.
3. Determine if the accident warrants a visit to the nearest
hospital or if simple cleansing and band aid will do.
4. If you are certified in CPR and a victim needs it, begin CPR
right away.
5. Stop the bleeding, if there is any.
6. Treat any symptoms of shock.
7. Look for the medical alert tag in every victim.
8. Seek trained medical assistance.
9. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious victim.
10. Wait for medical professionals to arrive.

*ALWAYS LOOK FOR A MEDICAL ALERT TAG IN EVERY VICTIM.

EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES

Source: Red Cross Manual
 DRAFT